Embodiments herein relate generally to transitioning between different versions of a webpage.
With the advancement of technology and the increase in available bandwidth, users have come to expect instantaneous or near-instantaneous responsiveness from applications, including web applications and web sites. For example, a user operating a browser to view a particular webpage may select one of the webpage's hyperlinks to view a different webpage. This selection directs the browser to request the selected webpage from a network server. The user then waits until the browser receives and displays the requested webpage content.
While this process may occur relatively quickly, the process is also exposed to numerous potential sources for delays that could force the user to have to wait an extended period of time between the time the user selects a hyperlink, and the time the browser has received and is able to display the selected webpage. For example, such delays may be caused by a content-intensive webpage, reduced network speed including limited bandwidth availability, and a limited availability of processing resources in either the network device hosting the webpage or the device operating the browser requesting the webpage. Such delays however, regardless of the reason, may cause the user to become impatient, forgo viewing the webpage, or otherwise degrade the user browsing experience.